Not Quite Sleeping
by Crossing the Bridge
Summary: Bella’s reasons for ending up in Forks are entirely different, it’s not her altruism. This time it’s Charlie’s. Edward notices there’s something more to this girl than a wheel chair and an amazing scent. AU story. BellaEdward. Full summary inside.
1. Prolouge

Summary_- Bella's biggest accident to date leaves her paralyzed and her unique mind leaves doctors baffled as to whether or not her brain is functioning properly. Renee is unable to handle the situation so Charlie takes on the challenge. Bella finally arrives at Forks and Edward notices there's something more to this girl than a wheel chair and an amazing scent. It seems he can only hear her thoughts as she would speak them._

_**Not Quite Sleeping**_

_By: Crossing the Bridge_

_Betaed By: Diamond Raider_

**Prologue:**

"What do you mean 'not sure'?!" I was certain the phone had melded with the side of my head, yet I could feel my grasp on the handle loosening as Renee began to explain once more that the doctors simply couldn't tell if Bella was mentally stable. The accident had left her partially paralyzed it seemed; they knew that much, but the machines that were used to monitor brain activity couldn't provide any other information. They just simply didn't work, 'It's the oddest thing.' the medical staff had said.

Renee had only managed to get around to calling me today, two days later. Of course she wouldn't think to call Bella's _father_ and let him know that our clumsy, accident prone baby's last accident had been near fatal. Oh no, she'd call Phil, who was on another away baseball trip, and tell him. I suppose I couldn't blame her too much though; she's still hysterical, even today.

After she reached through my initial shock and anger she started doing what she'd always done when life got rough: shifting the mess onto someone else. She couldn't handle it she cried, she had just told Phil that she'd be able to travel with him she whined, she couldn't stand to see Bella in such a sorry, 'un-Bella' like way she sobbed. My daughter had always been the one to keep things running smoothly in their Phoenix household, this I knew. And so, I completely agreed with the first of the statements. I also offered a solution.

"Why don't you send Bella up here? I haven't seen her in a while and I'm sure the quiet town will do her some good." Renee pounced on the idea.

"Bella would love to come see you!" Which meant that she would love Bella to come see me. No matter how much she loved her daughter, she and I both knew she was incapable of providing the care Bella would now need.

"Can you put her doctor on the phone, Renee?" I asked. I would need more information if our now paralyzed and possibly mentally-handicapped daughter were to come live with me.

"I'll see…they can be so hard to get a hold of." Apparently she was right because when the doctor answered thirty-five minutes later he sounded flustered and the entire conversation was rushed.

"Yes?" was the curt greeting.

"Yes, I believe you've been treating my daughter, Bella Swan. She's going to be coming to live with me in Washington state soon and I wanted to know what you could tell me about her condition."

"Let's see…Swan, Swan, I remember. Bella's unable to move her body for the most part, some small twitches her and there, but nothing more. This does, however, show potential for some recovery with physical therapy. Her mind is another story. We honestly aren't sure that she's completely aware of her surroundings. She responded to her name and things moved across her line of sight at first, but that seems to have diminished. With more therapy she may be able to communicate again one day. Mental and physical stimulus are a must if there is any hope of recovery." At least she's not dead I thought to myself.

"We have a great doctor here. He should be able to help me with any kind of therapy."

"Good, good." the man replied distractedly and then Renee's voice replaced his.  
We talked about when she would be able to drive Bella up and that I would take care of the wheel chair. I wouldn't see Bella for a month, until she was ready to be driven such a distance, but Renee promised to keep me updated on her condition. Those updates would come few and far between as I had expected and Bella's only improvements would be the fading of the bruises. As the month passed, long and slow, I made sure the entire town knew that my daughter was coming and talked to Dr. Cullen. He, unsurprisingly, said he would be happy to help in any way possible. He's such a kind and generous man, really loves his profession and it's one that suits him.

The day had finally come for Bella to arrive. Just in time for school the next day, even though it had been in session for a little more than a week. I had taken off from work to meet with her and her mother in Seattle. I packed the new wheel chair up in the cruiser and went to meet Renee at which ever hotel she had chosen; I'd have to find where I had written down the name and address.  
When I arrived I waited in a short line to ask the receptionist which room the girls where in. I had left the chair in the car and decided to take the stairs for some reason I can't recall, maybe it was to prolong having to see my daughter in the "un-Bella like way" she's in, as Renee had put it.  
Room 206, I knocked lightly and the door flung open as if Renee had been waiting directly behind.

"She's in the bedroom…" she intoned softly, so unlike her usual boisterous self, but we padded into the room quietly. There was Bella, lying on the bed, eyes open and focused intently on the wall in front of the bed. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, so I could clearly see the bruises and scratches that vanished into her hairline. My little girl…

"Hey, Bells." I spoke lightly, trying to pretend in my mind the occasion for our get-together were different. She blinked and her eyes flickered in my direction, but seemed to be pulled back to where they were before, like she was unable to hold them in that position. It was unnerving, seeing her body so frigidly still. I moved in front of her so she could see me more easily. I didn't know what else to say, to someone who couldn't respond.

"I have all of her clothes and other things in the other room" Renee spoke up.

"Oh, good. Let's take those bags down. We'll be right back up Bella." I said to the both of them.

"Yes, yes." and Renee scurried out of the room while I followed. She had packed two bags for Bella, one standard-sized suitcase of clothes and toiletries and one duffle bag for Bella's favorite books and other miscellaneous things.

"She's always been a minimalist, hasn't she?" I stated. Renee 'hmm-ed' in response. The duffle bag was the weightiest of the pair, so I carried it. We took the elevator this time. At the cruiser, I unlocked the side-doors.

"They'll have to go back here; the wheelchair is in the trunk."

"Why'd you bring the wheelchair?" She asked curiously

"I honestly don't remember." I said with a scratch of the head. "Maybe I wanted you to see it or something." I gave her a half smile and she smiled back.

"It's very nice Charlie. I think Bella will love it."

"I hope so, but I wish she didn't need it at all."

"We all do."

"Let's go get her." I said effectively cutting of the depressing talk. We didn't need anymore of that.

Bella was, dishearteningly, still right where we had left her.

"Hey again Bells. I'm gonna take you down to the cruiser now." She made no sign that she had heard me, but I scooped her up anyways, knowing I wouldn't receive one. I stumbled ever so slightly under her weight. Not that she was heavy but, I wasn't as young as I used to be and neither was she. Renee took no notice and opened the door to the hallway. Down in the elevator and through the lobby again, to the car. I wondered why Renee had gotten a second story room and how she had gotten Bella up there. I spied a pair of folded wheel chairs in a niche to the side of the lobby though and knew that must be the answer.

We situated Bella in the passenger seat and gave the appropriate goodbyes.  
The ride back to Forks wasn't a short one so I talked to Bella a little. I told her about my job and the high school she would be attending, but this really only filled the space of about ten minutes. I'm not much of a talker to begin with, so I turned the radio to some oldies station and hummed along.

I flopped on the couch. Ah, 'Home sweet home'! It was 10:00 and I had just put Bella to bed. It was weird, tucking my teenage daughter in as if she were two. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow though, so hopefully she would rest. Renee told me that Bella used to talk in her sleep about friends, family, weather, etc. before the accident. I wish I could hear what she thinks about the situation we're in now. Well, I'd turn in after the game, too. I had to get up early to get Bella ready for her first day at Forks High.

'Go bears.' I sighed out. It didn't really matter.


	2. Rhythm

_Ch 1: Rhythm  
Edward's POV_  
Another day closer to the end of a year, another year closer to the end of a decade, so on and so forth. It all kind of merges into one long day in the end, one very, astonishingly long day. Except for one thing: that end does not exist for me, not for any of us to our knowledge.

Occasionally something exciting happens, though what I consider exciting and what the human population of Forks High School consider exciting are undeniably two extraordinarily different things. Not much puts me on the edge of my seat in anticipation. All it takes is a new student to make a human teen's day worth the while. Today is a very special day for most of them then, oh and Alice. She likes to pretend I suppose.

I didn't see the new girl all morning. Carlisle had told us about her, how she was in a wheelchair and was almost completely paralyzed.

I heard everyone thinking about her. The boys couldn't stop talking about 'how hot the cripple' was. This came directly from the mind of the ever pleasant Mike Newton. The girls' thoughts were also centered around this 'Bella'. Apparently they were jealous of the looks the boys gave her and the relieved that she was in a wheelchair. Ah, the human mind. What nice creatures.

I got my first glimpse of her at lunch. Jessica Stanley, I pulled the name out of my sister's mind, had been volunteered to show her around the school. Meaning she pushed the wheelchair.

Jessica wheeled the girl up to her table and then left to get in the lunch line. While she was gone only one student spoke to the girl, addressing her as Bella. It was Angela, one of the few teens in the school who always had good intentions. Angela told Bella that she would enjoy Forks and how nice the people were. Riiigght…

Thoughts flew around the room_. 'What's the point in talking to someone who probably doesn't know what's going on at all', 'It's nice of Angela to try, I guess.', 'Wonder if I can get my hands on that. She won't tell, Ha!' _Ugh, vulgar. I was going to stop, when one last thought filtered through to me. It was short, loud and clear. And it seemed to be directed towards others and not solely for whoever thought it. _'STOP STARING'_. I began to search for the person that thought had come from, but Alice nudged me, breaking my concentration.

"What's going on in the new kid's mind?" Emmett asked. They had all been wondering. I hadn't actually looked yet. I had been too distracted by thoughts about her. I focused on her. It was like a void. There was nothing there and then clear as a bell, _'I'm not an animal in the zoo! Stop looking at me like one_'. Weird. I tried again and again, but heard nothing until the a shrill ring signaled the end of the period.

"Well?" said Rosalie. The all looked at me. I looked back.

"I'm not sure…" And then I left for Biology as quickly as I could without drawing attention to myself, dumping my uneaten food in the trashcan along the way. I would ponder over this during the next class. This girl whose thoughts I could only hear, it seemed, when she directed them at others. My siblings would ambush me in the car. I had to have something akin to a real answer.

I gathered from the teacher's mind, Mr. Banner, that we were going over cellular anatomy, nothing new for me. It usually wasn't. I was the first to arrive. Mr. Banner gave me an odd look. _'Why here so soon?' _I ignored him.

This girl… Other students were trickling in. There's something different about her, but what to tell the others. I can't say that I simply can't hear her. I don't suppose they'd worry, she can't exactly talk. At least not to others I added. The last minute bell buzzed, making me look up. Jessica Stanley came in rolling Bella in front of her. Great, I could hardly stand the Stanley girl and her mean thoughts at lunch. An extra hour with her would be no picnic.

She left Bella in the middle of the aisle and went up to Mr. Banner, still seated at his desk.

"Mr. Banner, where should I put Bella?" she asked politely_. 'Still can't believe I got roped into wheeling her around for the entire year!'_ He looked up confusedly and then over at Bella.

"Oh, ummm. Put her next to Edward in the back."

"Yes sir." She replied. I was stunned. Well, at least I would maybe get that real answer to give to the others. It hit me then. The most tantalizing smell. Like blanket that wrapped and twisted around me until I couldn't find an escape. I felt my eyes widen, my breathing stop and my hands grasp the edges of my poor chair. My eyes were glued to her unmoving form. I heard it again. The same voice from the lunch room. 'You're not going to goggle at me the entire period too, are you?' Jessica had taken her seat and Mr. Banner had begun the lesson. 'What?' I responded automatically in my mind. Her eyes twitched towards mine. Had she heard me?

"Can you hear me?" I whispered.

'_Can you hear __**me**__?'_ I heard in her mind just as softly. Ha, she was whispering.

"Yes."

'Wow.' I chuckled softly at that. I tried to loosen my grip on the chair that had crumbled beneath the force exerted upon it. I couldn't. Her scent still had me on edge, thinking I would be unable to maintain my sanity in this room of children even as I continued the conversation.

"Yes, wow." Wow that she wasn't at all what she seemed. I could gather that even from the shortness of our dialogue.

"Mr. Cullen! Would you stop talking at Bella and join the rest of us?" Mr. Banner interrupted.

"Yes sir" I replied

"Good. Now could you please explain the cell membrane for the rest of the class?"

"It's a living boundary between the internal and external environment of the cell. It is a gel in which the orderly arrangement of colloidal particles forms a very stable and elastic boundary." Despite the answer's curtness, it was textbook; I knew. It was also an accident. I hadn't been paying attention and therefore shouldn't have known, at least not to that extent. Mr. Banner left me alone for the rest of the period though.

'_I thought you weren't paying attention.'  
_

'_I wasn't. I've taken this class before.'  
_

'_Me too. Snore. I don't really get much say in my schedule anymore.' _I was shocked that she could be so open about her condition.

'_I suppose you don't.'  
_

Students started to pack up their things, even with 15 minutes till the bell. I followed in suit.

'_It was nice talking to you.'_ she said or thought. Whichever. '_It's been a while.'_

"You too." I must have said it aloud because Jessica Stanley, who had come over to move Bella said,

"Huh?" She thought I was talking to her. I actually did have something to ask her.

"You didn't seem to be particularly thrilled with your assignment today."

"What?" I hadn't been clear enough.

"Being chaperone. I bet you had classes with all your friends this year and now your whole schedule has been rearranged to suit yours _and_ Bella's needs."

"It was, but I don't mind too much." Liar, I said to myself.

"Yes, of course. If you'd like I'd take over your duties for however long"

'_He's so hot! You can have whatever you want!'_ I sighed to myself, too low for her to hear.

"Are you sure? It'd be for the entire year…"

"Yes, I wouldn't mind at all."

"Well, we'd have to go make the switch at the front office with Ms. Cope"

'_Would that be okay Bella?'_ I switched over to her.

'Okay? _Anything to get away from this girl. All she does is talk about hair and her friends behind their backs.'_

"I can do that now." She stepped away from Bella's side.

"See you later" she tossed over her shoulder along with a small, careless flap of her hand, meant to be a wave.  
I turned to Bella and started to wheel her through the hallways.

"Let's go see if we can arrange this. What class did you have next?"

'_Gym, for only God knows why.'_ We both gave a little laugh. I was wondering and I had to ask.

'_Why are you so calm about this?'  
_

'_About what exactly? I have a lot of things that I could be fretting over.'  
_

'_That's true I guess. About this whole talking with the mind thing.'  
_

'_Ever heard the expression 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'?'_

"Ah. I see." The ever so slight breeze that resulted from my pushing made her scent flow once again in my direction. I didn't stop though, as I had before. I reveled in it, taking long, slow inhalations softly so she couldn't hear. I listened past the flow of the heater and the light pat of my shoes against the linoleum to take in something else about her. The steady pulse of her heart. The rhythm more like a lullaby than anything. A lullaby which drew my full attention, away from all else even her smell.  
_ 'We're here.'  
_  
_AN: Yeah, a couple days. It didn't seem that long. So tell me if you've heard this before: I went back to school on Monday and my teachers, well three of mine, were freaking out. They had this scared/nervous look in their eye and this odd smile. Yes, yes AP Exams are right around the corner. In order to make sure I do my fair share of studying they renamed it homework. They've all told me that if I don't pass the exam that corresponds with their class I will get a flogging…Not really, but you can never trust your parents either.   
_

_Anyways, thank you so very, very much for all of the reviews and helpful hints are always appreciated. Anything you like in this story is completely my doing and anything you hate is Diamond Raider's fault. ::blows raspberry::  
-Crossing the Bridge_


	3. Melody

_**Not Quite Sleeping**_

_By: Crossing the Bridge_

_ Betaed By: Diamond Raider_

_ Ch 2_: Melody

Ms. Cope had been easy enough to persuade. At first, thoughts of how easily I could take advantage of Bella were present when I sifted through her mind. Then, I flashed a smile and she remembered that she trusted me completely; I was, after all, the Doctor's son.

Our new schedule would start tomorrow. Instead of gym class, I was now helping Bella with physical therapy. Physical therapy with Bella was ten fold more interesting than any class offered by the school and the best part was I didn't have to hold back. It's not as if the physical therapy was for me.

Bella was making great strides due to these sessions. When she regained some movement, she used it to give me what had to be one of the nastiest glares in existence. She didn't find this part of the day quite as amusing as I did.

'_How do I still manage to be clumsy when all I do is work on twitching my muscles in my chair?'_ We were still quite unsure of how she managed to take small muscle spasms and turn them into mass destruction, but Bella is as Bella does.

'_Oh Bella, it's okay. You're doing really well today. You just happen to be regaining your basic motor skills with less grace than a bull in a China shop.'_

'_Thanks Edward, that'll definitely inspire me.'_

'_You're quite welcome, but your physical therapist is back.'_

"Hello Bella!" He said cheerfully. And then added, "Edward.", Almost as an after thought. He gave me a slight nod of the head and we proceeded as we had for the past month and a half. I would sit in the corner as Mr. Thooke would work with Bella. He, however, was unable to take joy in her snide comments. She was quite creative, I must say. And near the end of The Torture Time (as she called it) she could be more obscene than Emmett after he's had one of his favorite possessions destroyed. I still had to get him a new television set.

"_Eddddwaaaaaaaaard."_ My head snapped up and my eyes found hers immediately.

"_Yeeessssssss" _I returned in the same drawn out way.

'_Let's go. We're free!'_

'_So we are. Another day, another ache?'_

"_Indeed." Her laughter rang out in both of our heads..  
_

_To me her laughter was more beautiful, more harmonious and more melodious than anything I had ever heard. And I had heard plenty. World class operas, concerts and top of the chart recording artists. None compared.  
_

"_So I was thinking," _And I had been thinking. For the entire week,_ "Would you like to meet the rest of the Cullens? They tend to be more outgoing away from the school. Except Alice. She tends to be outgoing all the time." _

"_That would be wonderful, but unfortunately I'll have to take a rain check. Charlie's invited over some friends for dinner tonight. I don't know what we're having, but the friends had better bring the dinner or else its Spaghetti- O's for everyone. Well not me; I can't move my jaw yet. Charlie's a disaster at cooking though." _ She sent me a bright mental smile and pictures of charred Mac 'n Cheese, the microwavable sort. I had to give a small chuckle. Boy, would that chuckle sound out of the blue to those who weren't privy to our mental conversation.

Charlie's cruiser rolled into the parking lot and then up us. "What 'cha laughin' at, Edward?" He asked out the window.

"Well sir, I was telling Bella jokes."

"So, let's hear one!"

"_I've got one Edward!" _Even with Charlie staring me down, I could imagine Bella jumping up and down with her hand thrashing frantically about in the air. She continued:

"_Why did the vampire give his girlfriend a blood test? To find out if she was his type!!" _I cringed as I quickly repeated the awful joke to Charlie. At the end of it, I chuckled nervously while Bella was giggling wildly. There was that sound again. Even in her uncontrollable giggles she was musical.

Charlie raised both eyebrows at me.

"That one always used to send Bella into hysterics. Just like her mother with the corny jokes." He gave a reminiscent smile. Images flew through his mind, mostly of a woman that had to be Bella's mother.

The sounds of Bella halted suddenly in my head.

"_It's not corny." _

"_Yes it is, don't pout." _She pouted more. I picked her up and buckled her into the front seat. Charlie folded up the wheel chair.

'_I wish that boy wouldn't hang around Bella so much. It's odd. What happened to that nice girl that was supposed to be assigned to Bella?' _Nice to know he trusts me.

"_Sorry about the dinner thing, Edward." _

"_It's okay. Some other time." _I smiled reassuringly.

Bella gave me one last apologetic flick of the eyes while I waved goodbye to the retreating vehicle. Some other time…

AN: So...It's short. This I know, but I'm not the 30 page kinda girl. Short is sweet...maybe. Sorry for the wait. Anywho, I'd like to know what everybody's favorite characters are aside from Bella and Edward. Next Chapter: Jacob. Yay! (I think.)

Many thanks to my Beta (Diamond Raider). Not only does she check it, but I force her to sit beside me while I type the chapter. Diamond Raider is full of dedication; she stays despite her rabbit allergies. She betas the AN too! What a funny girl! (She wants to write a one-shot. The topic? Aluminum.)

Any questions? I'm sure I can make up an answer to any plot hole::cough:: I mean, there's a logical explanation for everything.

Peas review! Thanks. (_DR: She wouldn't let me beta that!_)

-Crossing the Bridge


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